Tuesday, 24 February 2015

The dilemma between choosing off-the shelf product vs developing the custom software through consultant is a never ending saga. Custom software Solutions allow businesses to transform their daily operations into specific goal oriented apps. Unlike off-the-shelf software applications, Customized Software Development has the remarkable ability to run exactly the way we want it to. Since every business has different requirements, it is very difficult for one product to accommodate multiple needs simultaneously. The below are some of the advantages of Customized Software Development.

A common problem associated with ready-made software is that your business is forced to alter some of the processes in order to fully utilize the product. Customised Software, or Custom Business Applications are specifically designed to accommodate the needs of your business, so the final product will be based on your requirements and needs during the software development process and will be ultra fine-tuned to fit the way your business operates. You will end up with customized software equipped with all the necessary functionality that your business can make full use of and saves a lot of time and effort for your employees.

1. Tailor made

Custom software are contrived by utilising the latest up-to-date technology. The system are developed exceptionally to satisfy the client’s business requirements. Any discontent or difficulty of the client that appear during the development process can be improved while the formulation of the software with customer permission and that is the most significant benefit of the custom software development.

2.Minimal cost

Sometimes the costs associated with developing Custom Software Business applications for your business are higher than purchasing a ready-made product, and sometimes they are not. The long-term benefits of investing in developing custom business applications are far more valuable than purchasing a ready-made product. Plus imagine the additional cost you would incur when paying for licences, be it short or long term or implementation when you buy off the shelf products.

3. Maintenance

With Customized Software Development, your software is maintained for as long as you require it to be. With off-the-shelf software, your business is at the mercy of the software developer you are purchasing from.

4. Integration

Custom software is a great solution for program integration. Businesses in need of numerous software programs can enjoy the benefits of operating on one custom software application designed to integrate multiple processes. Custom software Solutions in this respect helps you to accomplish more of what you need.

5. Support

A major benefit you get with custom business applications is an efficient and reliable technical support plan. You will have full access to a technical support team that was involved in the development process of your application, so all your encountered problems are resolved in an efficient manner.

Wednesday, 11 February 2015

Your system software is as old as Y2K problem and doesn't meet your current needs, or perhaps your management want to convert a manual process into a automated one. Whatever be the case, you are probably trying to decide how to proceed. Whether buy a off-the-shelf product or build the software in-house or outsource it to technical consultant vendor. While there are advantages and disadvantages on any of these methods, its vital to understand that the decisionshould depend on many factors than a simple exercise on cost comparison.Consider off-the-shelf software only when:1. Many viable products are available 2. Your business process is generic, flexible and doesn't require customization3. The new software need not interact with your existing software and can function independently4. Implementation timeline is short &5. The per license fee is considerably lower than other options.Recommendation: Buy software when your objectives are clear and the product available are directly addressing your problem at hand ( for example book keeping)Consider building software only when:1. Level of customization is high2. When your in-house staff has the right expertise3. Ability to make number of changes at any stage is critical4. When the software in question needs to integrate with elements of existing environment.Recommendation : Build software only if your in-house resource is available for longer period of time and have wide array of technical expertise that may be required in achieving the business needs.Consider outsourcing custom software creation when:1. The solutions needs specific features and functions2. Must be deployed as fast as possible3. Quality control and testing cannot be compromised4. Single investment for custom software creation and useRecommendation : Outsourcing with right consultant can help in hassle free creation of custom software. However while outsourcing there are number of guidelines one should consider:a. Ensure that the vendor knows the wide range of technologiesb. Vendor company is financially stable and have good record of software creation?c. What is the vendor role in the project ? are they going to be collecting requirements etcd. Ensure the vendor knows your technology preferencee. Is vendor company a local one ? would they provide adequate importance to your needs?These are not the entire list but some points to get you started and arrive at an affirmed decision about your next custom software project. Also check out 5 reasons why you shouldn't choose a large consulting firm for IT services. If you have any questions regarding outsourcing your software please don't hesitate to contact us. Thanks for stopping by and have a fantastic day!